Pakistan’s Fear of Prithvi Missile Helped North Korea to Gain Nuclear Power

Kim Jong Un, the dictator of North Korea has emerged as a major threat to global peace with its nuclear arsenal. Despite the United Nations sanctions and threats by the United States, the eccentric despot just refused to step back and continues to issue statements of declaring war. It can be his hollow threats to declare war or can be his actual warning to the world.

Kim’s unrest statement has always caught headlines, North Korea did not have nuclear weapons but they are so destructive that it is the responsibility of the whole world to make sure that they are not used.

Now, when North Korea has the Nukes and who will be responsible for this? Whether USSR or Pakistan? USSR has signed the nuclear cooperation agreement with North Korea in 1959 and Pakistan has been asked to give centrifuge technology to North Korea. The technology which is responsible to produce weapons-grade radioactive material.

Back in 1962, North Korea was helped by the Soviet Union in setting up North Korea’s first nuclear research facility ‘Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center’. The technology that Russia gave to North Korea was for medicinal, industrial and research purposes but now it has been trying to explore weapon capability.

But certainly, Pakistan helped in the development of North Korea’s nuclear weapons. In order to join hands with North Korea, Pakistan had the intention to build India like Integrated Guided Missile Development Program in 1983, with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in the development and production of large-scale ballistic missiles. Under this program, Prithvi was the first missile to be developed. It was developed as a war missile and could carry nuclear weapons.

At that time, there was no missile to counter the Prithvi’s striking capabilities in Pakistan, so he contacted North Korea for the Nodong missiles. North Korea in exchange to Nodong missile, asked centrifuge technology from Pakistan, and North Korea and Pakistan started sharing missile expertise in 1992.

When Pakistan was in worry to see India’s development in the field of missiles, Benazir Bhutto, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan dealt with North Korea for Nodong missile in the year 1993. Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb provided alternative nuclear weapons of intermediate-range liquid-fuel ballistic missiles from North Korea.

In November 1995, North Korea and Pakistan dealt for 12-25 Nodong missile, and at least one transporter erector launcher or mobile operator launcher, 44 which began in 1996-97. Not only North Korea with exchanging centrifuge technology for Nodong missile, Pakistan was also said to help Iran in developing nuclear technology. American Intelligence agency tracked the Network of AQ Khan.